Will you now or in the future require sponsorship?
No.
Are you a US military veteran?
No.
Do you have a disability?
No.
Salary & Compensation
Desired salary — Staff-level (US)
I'm targeting $190K–$220K base, with flexibility depending on the full package (equity, benefits, remote flexibility). Open to discussing.
Desired salary — Senior-level (US)
$165K–$185K base, with flexibility depending on the full package. Open to discussing.
Desired salary — Senior-level (London / Stockholm)
£95K–£110K / €90K–€105K
Availability & Logistics
When are you available to start?
2–4 weeks from offer acceptance.
Are you willing to relocate?
Yes — open to Bay Area, Seattle, NYC, Vancouver, Toronto, most of Europe, and Hong Kong.
Remote / hybrid / in-office preference?
Prefer remote or hybrid. Open to in-office for the right role and location.
Experience Questions
Years of experience in product design:
10+ years (11, if counting from UC Davis graduation in 2014).
Do you have experience with [Figma / design systems / mobile / etc.]?
Yes — see portfolio at natemac.net for specifics.
Describe your experience managing or mentoring designers:
Over 10+ years running a two-person consulting agency, I directed designers and developers across client engagements — setting direction, reviewing work, giving feedback, and owning the quality of the final output. I've also mentored junior practitioners embedded on client teams.
Why Are You Leaving Your Current Role?
Long version
After over a decade running Nyentek, a two-person product design consultancy, I've hit the natural ceiling of that model. The work I love — product design, systems thinking, building things that actually ship and scale — kept getting crowded out by the overhead of running a business: admin, compliance, partner management, business development. I'm looking for a role where my actual strengths are what I'm paid for full-time, with a team to grow alongside rather than a client list to manage.
Short version
I spent 10+ years running a product design consultancy. The work was great; the business overhead eventually wasn't. I'm ready to go deep on one product rather than broad across many clients.
Short Answer: Why This Role / Company
Generic template — always personalize before submitting.
I'm drawn to roles where design has real leverage — where the decisions I make affect how millions of people experience something. [Company] is building [specific thing that resonates], and the [role] sits right at the intersection of [two things I care about]. My background in [relevant angle] maps directly to what this team is working on.
Demographic / EEO Questions
All dropdowns — decide per company based on vibe. Veteran status: No. Disability: No.
AI / Tooling Questions
For companies that ask specifically — Duolingo, Pinterest, others.
The biggest change is in the gap between having an idea and having something testable. What used to take a day of scaffolding I can rough in quickly now, which means I spend more time on the question the scaffolding was delaying: does this actually feel right? Where does it break?
Research moved too — I can absorb more signal before starting. Which means I'm making fewer decisions based on what I happened to have in my head that morning.
What hasn't changed: I still have to know what problem I'm solving before any of that helps. The tools are fast. The judgment about where to point them is still slow, and should be.